As we grow older, our body undergoes several changes, and one of the most common issues that occur with age is hearing loss. It can be a challenging and frustrating experience for individuals, affecting their quality of life and social interaction. While there are several treatment options available, have you ever considered music therapy?
Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses music to address physical, cognitive, emotional, and social needs of individuals. It has shown promising results in treating various health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and autism. But could it also help with hearing loss? In this blog post, we explore the potential benefits of music therapy for individuals with hearing loss.
Understanding Music Therapy
Music therapy is an evidence-based treatment that involves a trained therapist using music interventions to address individual needs. It is a client-centered therapy that focuses on the individual’s strengths, preferences, and goals. The music therapist creates a personalized treatment plan that incorporates music-making, singing, listening to music, and movement.
Benefits of Music Therapy
Music therapy has several evidence-based benefits for physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health. It has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve cognitive function, enhance communication and social interaction, and improve physical well-being. Music therapy is a non-invasive, safe, and enjoyable treatment that can be customized to individual needs.
Music Therapy and Hearing Loss
Music therapy can benefit individuals with hearing loss in several ways. It can help individuals with hearing loss to improve their listening skills and speech perception. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, music training can improve speech perception in individuals with cochlear implants.
Music therapy can also improve communication and social interaction. It can help individuals with hearing loss to develop and improve their communication skills, which can enhance their quality of life and social relationships.
Making Music Could Help Improve Hearing Loss
A recent study shows that learning a musical instrument could be the key to improving hearing loss in older adults.
According to imaging studies, learning a musical instrument can lead to functional and structural brain changes in people with normal hearing. These changes can improve hearing skills, including discrimination of timbre, pitch, and rhythm. But what about for those who have already experienced hearing loss due to aging?
A study by Dubinsky et al. (2019) found that choir lessons for 10 weeks improved speech-in-noise and pitch discrimination abilities in a group of older adults with age-related hearing loss. They were compared to a group that did nothing and found that the neural representation of pitch discrimination was also improved following musical training.
Zendel et al. (2019) conducted a similar study with 13 individuals above 65 years old who participated in a 6-month piano training. They found that accuracy to repeat words in noise improved post-training, and encephalographic measurements showed an increase in positive cerebral electrical activity in the motor speech system.
But don’t just take their word for it. Worschech et al. (2021) conducted a randomized controlled trial with 156 elderly non-musicians and found that learning to play piano improved speech reception threshold (SRT) by an average of -0.46 dB compared to a group that listened to cultural music.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to dust off that old guitar or pick up a new instrument and start making music. It could be the key to improving your hearing abilities and overall quality of life.
Other Types of Music Therapy Interventions for Hearing Loss
There are other music therapy interventions that can be used to benefit individuals with hearing loss. These include:
- Auditory training: This involves listening exercises that can help individuals with hearing loss to improve their ability to hear and understand speech.
- Listening to music: Listening to music can help individuals with hearing loss to improve their speech perception and enhance their emotional well-being.
In conclusion, music therapy is a promising treatment for individuals with hearing loss. It has several evidence-based benefits for physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health. If you are considering getting hearing treatment, why not consider music therapy? At My Hearing Centers, we offer a range of hearing treatments and solutions that can improve your quality of life. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our hearing experts.